Conveyor with selective intermediate dropout

ABSTRACT

A conveyor trough is provided with a longitudinally slidable intermediate section which, when moved to the open condition, permits conveyed material to drop out of the conveyor trough. The return flight of the conveyor is protected from the dropped-out material. Means provided for releasably locking the intermediate section in the closed condition as well as in the open condition.

United States Patent [1 1 Bakker CONVEYOR WITH SELECTIVE INTERMEDIATEDROPOUT [76] Inventor: Donavon L. Bakker, Rt. l-Box 7,

Fort Atkinson, Wis. 53538 [22] Filed: Oct. 24, 1972 [21] Appl. No.:300,107

[52] US. Cl 198/169, 119/56 R, 198/205 [51] Int. Cl..... A01k 5/00, B65g15/60, 865g 19/08 [58] Field of Search 198/66, 169, 205;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,351,180 11/1967 l-lerzog198/205 Nov. 27, 1973 Primary Examiner-Edward A. Sroka Atl0rneyClaude.W.Lowe et a].

[57] ABSTRACT A conveyor trough is provided with a longitudinallyslidable intermediate section which, when moved to the open condition,permits conveyed material to drop out of the conveyor trough. The returnflight of the conveyor is protected from the dropped-out material. Meansprovided for releasably locking the intermediate section in the closedcondition as well as in the open condition.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SELECTIVE INTERMEDIATE DROPQUT BACKGROUNDAND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the use of conveyors, particularly dragchain type conveyors of the single chain type which are used in handlinglivestock feeds, it can be advantageous in some installations to providefor discharge of material CONVEYOR WITH from one or more points alongthe conveyorrather a discharge openingwere provided in the bottom pan,

much of the material dropped directly through such opening would, ofnecessity, strike the return flight and either collect thereon or on itssupport, or be deflected away from the intended discharge zone.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide anintermediate dropout section for conveyors of the endless chain type inwhich the problems noted above are overcome, and which successfullyprovides for discharge of material at an intermediate point along thelength of the conveyor.

Another object of the invention is to provide an intermediate dropoutsection in which the material being conveyed is substantially equallydivided to opposite 3 sides of the conveyor centerline onthe dropout ofthe material.

A further object is to provide an intermediate dropout section in whichthe-conveyor chain is supported for movement through the dropout sectionon substantially the same level as it is in the entrance and departuresections of the conveyor adjacent the dropout section.

Other objects are to provide an arrangement of the character describedin which the desired results are achieved without requiring closemanufacturing tolerances and precision fit of parts, which is simple toinstall and operate, and which requires little, if any, maintenanceattention during use.

Other and further objects of the invention together with the features ofnevelty appurtenant thereto will appear in the course of the followingdescription.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthe specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and inwhich like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a fragmentary section of a completeconveyor showing the preferred form of the intermediate dropout assemblyaccording to the present invention incorporated therein;

FIG. 2 is a view generally similar to FIG. 1, but showing theintermediate dropout assembly with the movable trough section thereof inthe open condition;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view on an enlarged scale of theintermediate dropout assembly alone, the break lines indicatinginterrupted length;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along line 44 of FIG. 3 inthe direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, on a greatly enlarged scale, taken alongline 5-5 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 6 is-a fragmentary sectional view, on a greatly enlarged scale,taken along line 66 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, referencenumerals 10 and 11 indicate respectively longitudinally aligned sectionsof a typical endlesssingle chain conveyor assembly. The upper part ofeach section 10 or 11 comprises a generally U-shaped trough over thebottom of which rides a chain 12 carrying a plurality of drag slats13..The chain is driven by any appropriate means (not shown) to movematerial in the general direction shown by the arrow. The lower secvtionof the conveyor comprises an enclosed space in which the return flight12a of the chain is housed. The general configuration of a typicalconveyor of this type is shown in my pending application, Ser. No.222,822, filed Feb. 2, 1972, and reference to that application forfurther details may be had if desired.

The conveyor sections 1.0 and 11 arespaced from one another and areinterconnected by the intermediate dropout assembly indicated generallyby reference numeral 14. This section can be located over a feed bunk orother receptacle 15 in which it is desired to deposit material from theconveyor from time to. time.

Two of the basic components of the intermediate dropout assembly 14 arethe generally end-to-end rex lated trough sections 16,17 which in thenormal conveying condition of the'trough form continuations of 0 andcooperate to provide a conveying path for the upper conveying flight 12.As best seen in FIG. 4, the trough sections 17 and 16 are designed tointerfit with one another in a telescopic fashion, the trough 17 beingof somewhat greater dimensions than the trough 16 so that it may freelyfit around and slide along the exterior of trough section 16. Forpurposes of this application, the trough section 16 will be referred toas the stationary trough section and the section 17 as the movablesection. Each section is, as indicated, generally U- shaped inconfiguration and conforms with the general shape of the troughs l0 and11.

1 Located beneath the trough sections 16, 17 is an inverted, generallyV-shaped deflector pan 18 which has a flat section 18a underlying andcontinuing from one end of the combined trough sections 16,17 to theother, and two downwardly and outwardly inclined walls which terminatein depending vertical portions. The vertical portions are interconnectedat the bottom by a pan 19 which provides a running support for thereturn flight 12a.

The deflector 18, pan l9 and the stationary section 16 areinterconnected with the splice plates20 which also serve to splice thedropout assembly into the conveyor itself. The connections are made byordinary bolts or other fasteners. The splice plates are interconnectedwith the sections 10, l1 and are best seen in FIG. 4. A cover 21overlies the trough sections and is secured to outwardly projectingflanges on the station- Referring in particular to FIGS. 4 and 5, itwill be noted that secured on either side of the assembly is a generallyZ-shaped guide member 23. Each guide member is secured to and supportedfrom the top cover 21, being connected thereto by a depending flange 12dand the fasteners 24. The lower end of the guide member is secured tothe bottom edge of the deflector 18 as by fastener 25.

The guide members 23 serve to support the slide blocks 22 to whichreference has been earlier made. Referring again to FIGS. 4 and 5, itwill been that each slide block 22 is secured adjacent the inside of theguide member by a bolt and nut assembly 26. The vertical portion of eachguide member above the bolt assemblies serves as a side guide for themovable trough section 17, loosely confining it between the stationarytrough section and the guide member.

The opening and closing of the movable trough section is accomplishedthrough a manual hand grip 27, which is formed as an outtumed flange onan elongate bar 28 extending along one side of the movable troughsection 17. The other end bar 28 is pivotally secured to the wall of themovable section by the bolt assembly 29 (see FIG. 6).

Referring to FIG. 5, the underside of the elongate bar 28 is formed witha notch or recess 28a which is adapted to engage with a horizontallyextending pin 30 secured to and extending from the inside of the upperportion of guide member 23. It will be observed that the relativeelevations of the pivot connection 29 and the latch pin 30 are such thatthe latter is somewhat lower. This is to permit the bar 28 to remain ina horizontal plane during movement once the latch has been disengaged.

It will be evident that the manual operating assembly just described canbe placed on either side of the unit, or that such assemblies could beplaced on both sides. The guide mebers are essentially the same, and allthat is required is the attaching of the manual operating assembly tothe movable closure and the'installation of the latch pin 30.

Referring again to FIG. 3 and to the righthand end of the dropoutassembly, the structure includes an end guide for the movable troughsection 17, this assembly generally being indicated at 31a and 31b. Asseen, guide portion 31b extends on either side of the top of the pan andincludes downwardly inclined sections which are adapted to intercept andguide the closure into an aligned condition with the remainder of theconveyor when the latter is in its full forward or closed position.Elements 31a are similarly shaped to guide the side wall portions intothe aligned fit with the rest of the conveyor.

A second latching pin assembly 32 is located at the lefthand end of thestationary closure to hold the pivotal bar 28 in the open condition asillustrated in FIG. 2. The assembly is nothing more than a U-shapedmember having its inside leg secured to the splice plate with a pin 33extending inwardly from the outside leg to provide a holding member forthe recess 28a in the bar 28.

The operation of the apparatus is believed to be almost self-evidentfrom the description which has preceded. In the closed condition of thedropout assembly, that is, the condition shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, theconveyor chain will operate in its normal fashion to convey materialalong the trough. When it is desired to make use of the dropout, themovable chute section 17 is moved to the open condition by graspinghandle 27, raising it to free the notch 28a from the pin 30, and pullingto the left. Motion is continued until the limit of movement has beenreached, at which time the notch can be-engaged with the other latchingassembly 32 to hold it in the open position against any vibrationalinfluences of the conveyor. The upper conveyor chain 12 continues tomove in a horizontal position, being supported on the top of thedeflector 18 during its passage through the open section.

It will be evident that as material is brought into the open section, itwill fall on either side of the central part of the deflector and willbe substantially evenly divided to either side of the center line of theconveyor. Any accidental twisting of the conveyor paddles off thehorizontal can be countered by the guide portion 31b which wouldintercept and return them to the horizontal. Such twisting is unlikelybecause of the support of the chain of the flat section 18a of thedeflector.

Closing of the open dropout zone is accomplished by disengaging theactuating member from the latch assembly and pushing the movable closureto the right until it is seated within the guide assembly 31a, 31b.

This coincides with the registry of the notch 28a with pin 30 and, uponlowering of the bar 28, the assembly is again locked in the closedcondition.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one welladapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forthtogether with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherentto the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsubcombinations.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention withoutdeparting from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matterherein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with an endless conveyor having an upper conveyingflight and a return flight below the conveying flight, v

a first stationary trough section having a-bottom pan over which theconveyor flight moves for advancing material through the trough,

a second movable trough section normally extending from and forming acontinuation of said first section and also having a bottom pan overwhich said flight advances material, said second trough section of asize and configuration to interfit with said first trough section uponmovement of said second section toward said first section,

a third stationary trough section forming a continuation of said secondsection, and

an elongate support member above said return flight and below andaligned with said second trough section and extending substantially thefull length of said second section adjacent the level of said bottom panwhereby to provide support for said conveyor when said second section isout of its normal position, and

means for shifting the said second section toward said first sectionthereby to provide for material dropout from the trough on either sideof said support.

2. The combination as in claim 1,

of said second moveable trough section into alignment with said firstand third sections upon movement of said second section toward saidthird section.

5. The combination as in claim 1, including means associated with saidshifting means for releasably locking said second section in its normalposition. 7

6. The combination as in claim 1, including means associated with saidshifting means for releasably locking said second section in an opencondition relative to said first and third sections.

1. In combination with an endless conveyor having an upper conveyingflight and a return flight below the conveying flight, a firststationary trough section having a bottom pan over which the conveyorflight moves for advancing material through the trough, a second movabletrough section normally extending from and forming a continuation ofsaid first section and also having a bottom pan over which said flightadvances material, said second trough section of a size andconfiguration to interfit with said first trough section upon movementof said second section toward said first section, a third stationarytrough section forming a continuation of said second section, and anelongate support member above said return flight and below and alignedwith said second trough section and extending substantially the fulllength of said second section adjacent the level of said bottom panwhereby to provide support for said conveyor when said second section isout of its normal position, and means for shifting the said secondsection toward said first section thereby to provide for materialdropout from the trough on either side of said support.
 2. Thecombination as in claim 1, said support member comprising an invertedtrough-like structure with surfaces sloping oppositely downwardly andaway from the center line of said trough sections.
 3. The combination asin claim 1, including conveyor stabilizing members adjacent the third,stationary trough section and located on opposite sides of the troughcenter line and operable when necessary to maintain the conveyor in alaterally level condition prior to its entry into the said thirdsection.
 4. The combination as in claim 1, including guide memberspositioned adjacent said third trough section and operable to guide theconfronting end of said second moveable trough section into alignmentwith said first and third sections upon movement of said second sectiontoward said third section.
 5. The combination as in claim 1, includingmeans associated with said shifting means for releasably locking saidsecond section in its normal position.
 6. The combination as in claim 1,including means associated with said shifting means for releasablylocking said second section in an open condition relative to said firstand third sections.